Passenger vehicles, and especially automobiles, are frequently provided with air conditioning systems. When such systems were first introduced, it was felt sufficient to provide overall control of the temperature within the vehicle. However, it has been found desirable to provide so-called "zoning" of temperature so that the driver and passenger each has independent control of the temperature in their respective zones.
It is known to provide an air distribution device approximately on the center-line of the vehicle underneath the instrument panel. This central location facilitates the provision of outputs to either side, namely to the driver and passenger. It is also known to operate the flow control members in the flow control device using control cables. However, such control cables require maintenance, and are otherwise undesirable. It is has therefore become desirable to instead operate the flow control members from electrical actuators.
One problem with the use of electrical actuators is the requirement to provide good access to the electrical actuators for servicing. The need for such good access dictates that sufficient space must be allowed in the vicinity of the actuator to give adequate room for servicing. Hence, if two actuators are provided, one on each side of a flow control device, there would be the need for space on both sides of the flow control device to allow for servicing of the actuators.
Accordingly it is desirable to provide a flow control device in which the flow control members are operated by actuators which may be on the same side of the flow control device.